
JoBeth Williams
Biography
Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominated American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.
Williams rose to prominence appearing in such films as Stir Crazy (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Day After (1983), Teachers (1984), and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986).
A three-time Emmy Award nominee, she was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her work in the TV movie Adam (1983) and the TV miniseries Baby M (1988). Her third nomination was for her guest role in the sitcom Frasier (1994).
Her directorial debut with the 1994 short film On Hope earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.
She also starred in the TV series The Client (1995–96), and had recurring roles in the TV series Dexter (2007) and Private Practice (2009–11).
In 2009 she began serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation; she is President Emeritus of the foundation.
She has also had numerous guest starring roles on TV and has starred in several TV movies.
Gallery



Known For
Acting History
2025
Not Without Hope as Marcia
2025SEGAL as Self
2024Cash for Gold as Boots
2023Chantilly Bridge as Natalie
20221982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! as Self
2020What the Night Can Do as Bettye Sue Dryer
2020Josh Gates Tonight as Self
2019SGT. Will Gardner as Sherry
2018A Million Little Things as Lana Strobe
2018Alex & the List as Mrs. Stern
2018Station 19 as Reggie
2017The Good Doctor as Ruth
2017Barracuda as Patricia
2016Within as Rosemary Fletcher
2016The Last Film Festival as Mayor
2016Heartbeat as Isobel Dixon
2015In My Dreams as Charlotte Smith
2015Your Family or Mine as Ricky
2014Marry Me as Myrna
2014Extant as Leigh Kern
2012Perception as Margaret Pierce
2012Scandal as Sandra Harding
2011Love's Christmas Journey as Beatrice
2011The Big Year as Edith
2011Hart of Dixie as Candice Hart
2011Against the Wall as Emily
2010Law & Order: LA as Mrs. Walker
2010Rizzoli & Isles as Tilly Dunn
2009Uncorked as Sophia Browning
2009TiMER as Marion
2008Childrens Hospital as Linda
2007Private Practice as Bizzy Forbes
2007Sybil as Hattie Dorsett
2007In the Land of Women as Agnes Webb
2006The Nine
2006Dexter as Gail Brandon
200514 Hours as Jeanette Makins
2005Crazylove as Mrs. Mayer
2005Into the Fire as June Sickles
2005Criminal Minds as Professor Ursula Kent
2005Fever Pitch as Maureen Meeks
2005Numb3rs as Margaret Eppes
2003Miss Match as Lianne Fox
2003NCIS as Leona Phelps
2003Las Vegas as Liz
2002The Curse of Poltergeist
2002Searching for Debra Winger as Self
2002The Rose Technique as Dr. Lillian Rose
2002Repossessed
200124 as Miriam Henderson
2001The Ponder Heart as Edna Earle Ponder
2001The Guardian as Sarah
2000Strong Medicine as Margie
2000Trapped in a Purple Haze as Sophie Hanson
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Mrs. Rawley
1999Judging Amy as Gemma Lawnsdale
1999Jackie's Back! as Jo Face (Jackie's Vocal Coach)
1999It Came from the Sky as Alice Bridges
1999Payne as Constance Payne
1999The Big Chill: A Reunion as Self
1999Justice as Jane Newhart
1998A Chance of Snow as Madeline 'Maddie' Parker
1998From the Earth to the Moon as Marge Slayton
1997When Danger Follows You Home as Anne Werden
1997Jungle 2 Jungle as Dr. Patricia Cromwell
1997Just Write as Sidney Stone
1996After the SIlence as Pam Willis (as Jobeth Williams)
1996E! True Hollywood Story
1996Ruby Jean and Joe as Rose
1995The Client as Reggie Love
1995A Season of Hope as Elizabeth Hackett
1994Voices from Within as Nancy Parkhurst
1994Parallel Lives as Winnie Winslow
1994Wyatt Earp as Bessie Earp
1993Final Appeal as Christine Biondi
1993Frasier as Danielle (voice)
1993Frasier as Madeline Marshall
1993Chantilly Lace as Natalie
1993Sex, Love and Cold Hard Cash as Sarah Gallagher
1992Commercial Entertainment Product as Diane Freeling
1992Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted as Ginny Moore
1992Batman: The Animated Series as May and June (voice)
1992Fish Police
1992Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot as Lt. Gwen Harper
1992Me, Myself and I as Crazy / Sane Diane
1991Dutch as Natalie Standish
1991Switch as Margo Brofman
1991Victim of Love as Tess Harper
1990Child in the Night as Dr. Hollis
1989Welcome Home as Sarah
1989My Name Is Bill W. as Lois Wilson
1988Memories of Me as Lisa
1988Baby M as Marybeth Whitehead
1987Murder Ordained as Lorna Anderson
1987Murder Ordained as Lorna Anderson
1986Adam: His Song Continues as Reve Walsh
1986Poltergeist II: The Other Side as Diane Freeling
1986Desert Bloom as Lily Chismore
1985Kids Don't Tell as Claudia Ryan
1984American Dreamer as Cathy Palmer
1984Teachers as Lisa Hammond
1983The Day After as Nurse Nancy Bauer
1983Adam as Reve Walsh
1983The Big Chill as Karen Bowens
1982Endangered Species as Harriet Purdue
1982Poltergeist as Diane Freeling
1981Joe Dancer: The Big Black Pill as Tiffany Farinpour
1980The Dogs of War as Jessie
1980Stir Crazy as Meredith
1980Fun and Games as Laura Weston
1979Kramer vs. Kramer as Phyllis Bernard
1978The White Shadow as Paula Harris
1978The World Beyond as Marian Faber
1974Feasting with Panthers as Constance Wilde
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
1951Hallmark Hall of Fame as Lois Wilson








